Sleeve for clothing coverage and support

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a wearable device about an individual&#39;s waistline and over unfastened clothing, so that the device offers coverage over unfastened clothing and offers support to the clothing and to the individual&#39;s waistline.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a garment that is worn about thewaist of the wearer to (1) enable the wearing of clothing that isotherwise too small to be zipped, buttoned, snapped or otherwisefastened, such as during pregnancy or with respect to an overweightwearer or a wearer whose body proportions have changed, and (2) providesupport for the abdomen of the pregnant or overweight wearer or otherwearer whose body proportions have changed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Women undergo significant physical changes during pregnancy. As awoman's pregnancy progresses and her physical size increases, herregular wardrobe no longer fits properly. Typically, the woman's initialreaction to this dilemma is to try to figure out a way to prolong theuse of her regular wardrobe and, thus, avoid having to purchase and wearunattractive maternity clothing.

[0003] In the early stages of pregnancy, as the woman's belly begins toexpand, her regular pants, skirts and shorts (collectively, “Bottoms”)become too tight in the waist to wear comfortably. In an effort toprolong the ability to wear the Bottoms, the woman begins to wear herBottoms without fastening the top button, snap, hook or other fastener(“Fastener”), often using a rubber band or other device as a means ofsecuring the Bottoms on the woman's body. Before long, as her pregnancyprogresses and her belly further expands, the woman will be unable evento fasten the zipper on her Bottoms. The woman will then wear herBottoms unzipped and secured with the rubber band or other temporarymeans with long tops that cover the unzipped zipper and unfastenedFastener so as not to expose her undergarments or uncovered body to thepublic.

[0004] At this stage of pregnancy, in order to accommodate and conformto her expanded figure, the woman will need new and larger clothing towear throughout the rest of her pregnancy and for an extended period oftime after giving birth until she regains her pre-pregnancy figure.Adding to the burden of acquiring new clothing is the fact that thewoman will want her new clothing to be both comfortable and attractive.The woman may attempt to deal with these problems in a number of ways.One option is for the woman to purchase regular clothing in larger sizesto accommodate her expanded figure. However, the problem encountered bythe woman that purchases oversized regular clothing is that, while thenew clothing might accommodate the woman's expanding waistline, theremainder of the woman's body has not expanded proportionately. Theresult is clothing that may fit around the waistline, but is still toolarge for the rest of the woman's body, resulting in a poor,uncomfortable fit and unattractive appearance.

[0005] Another option for the pregnant woman is to purchase a newwardrobe consisting of various types of maternity clothing. However,because maternity clothing is expensive, the purchase of a new maternitywardrobe is not a viable option for many pregnant women. In addition tothe cost issue, existing maternity clothing offerings are limited,consisting of oversized pants with unsightly elastic waistbands andoversized tops and dresses that are intended to be worn out and oversuch pants. These maternity clothing options are unacceptable for mostwomen that do not have unlimited resources to spend on clothing but wantto maintain an attractive appearance and their own personal stylethroughout pregnancy. These maternity clothing options are alsounacceptable for working women that must maintain a professionalappearance in the work environment.

[0006] Pregnant women are not the only people that experience difficultyin wearing their regular clothing. Throughout the course of a lifetime,a person's body shape often changes due to any of a number of factorsincluding diet, aging, illness, lack of exercise, and the like. Theperson may become overweight, or the proportions of the person's bodymay simply change over time. Unfortunately, the person's wardrobe doesnot conform to such bodily changes, and eventually the wardrobe nolonger properly fits the person. Thus, the person is forced to ceasewearing otherwise wearable clothing and purchase replacement clothingthat properly fits the person's body.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0007] One object of the present invention is to provide a garment thatenables the wearing of clothing that is otherwise too small to bezipped, buttoned snapped or otherwise fastened, such as during pregnancyor with respect to an overweight wearer or other wearer whose bodyproportions have changed.

[0008] Another object is to provide such a garment that provides supportfor the abdomen of the pregnant or overweight wearer or other wearerwhose body proportions have changed.

[0009] Another object is to provide such a garment that providescoverage of the body when used with the wearer's existing unfastenedclothing.

[0010] Another object is to provide such a garment that is comfortableand easy to wear during use over long periods of time without burdeningthe person wearing the apparatus or any particular portions of the body.

[0011] Another object is to provide such a garment that is adaptable tothe enlargement and change in configuration of the abdomen of thepregnant woman during the entire period of gestation, instead ofrequiring the purchase of a larger garment each time the pregnantwoman's size increases.

[0012] Another object is to provide such a garment that enables thepregnant or overweight wearer or other wearer whose body proportionshave changed to continue wearing her existing wardrobe and avoid havingto purchase expensive and unattractive maternity clothing or otheroversized clothing.

[0013] Another object is to provide such a garment that can be wornwithout pilling, snagging or otherwise damaging the fabric of thewearer's clothing.

[0014] Another object is to provide such a garment that is inexpensiveto manufacture and sell while having a long operational life.

[0015] Another object is to provide such a garment that can bemanufactured as part of original garments, allowing pregnant women andothers with rounded abdomens to purchase form-fitting clothing.

[0016] Further objects and advantages are to provide improved elementsand arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purpose described whichis dependable, economical, durable and fully effective in accomplishingits intended purposes.

[0017] These together with other objects of the invention, along withthe various features of novelty which characterize the invention, arepointed out with particularity in the detailed description annexed toand forming a part of this disclosure. The foregoing and other objectsand advantages are achieved in the present invention. For a betterunderstanding of the invention, its operating advantages and thespecific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to theaccompanying descriptive matter in which there is illustrated apreferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018]FIG. 1 illustrates a view of the sleeve 10 of the preferredembodiment of the present invention.

[0019]FIG. 2 illustrates the sleeve 10 having an inside surface 16 andoutside surface 18.

[0020]FIG. 3 illustrates the first end 12 and second end 14 of thesleeve 10 featuring an area of elastic material that folds overattaching to the inside surface 16.

[0021]FIG. 4 illustrates the first end 12 folded over to create thewaist fold 22, and the second end 14 folded over to create the hip fold24.

[0022]FIG. 5 illustrates unfastened clothing 30.

[0023]FIG. 6 illustrates how the sleeve 10 of the invention can be wornover such unfastened clothing 30, thus keeping such unfastened clothing30 on the body of the wearer and hiding both the unfastened clothing 30and the wearer's exposed body.

[0024]FIG. 7 illustrates a movable sleeve 40 visible through a cut-wayof the clothing 32.

[0025]FIG. 8 illustrates how, initially, the sleeve 40 could be builtinto clothing 32 without impacting normal use.

[0026]FIG. 9 illustrates the outside surface 36 of the clothing 32,where the movable sleeve 40 is folded over and around the clothing 32 toprovide extra covering of the clothing 32 or support of the person'sbody.

[0027]FIG. 10 illustrates the movable sleeve 40, folded around theclothing 32.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The present invention is a wearable device about an individual'swaistline and over unfastened clothing, so that the device offerscoverage over unfastened clothing and offers support to the clothing andto the individual's waistline. The preferred embodiment is shown inFIGS. 1-6.

[0029]FIG. 1 illustrates a view of the sleeve 10. As shown in FIG. 1,the sleeve 10 has a first end 12, second end 14, and as shown in FIG. 2,which is a cut-away along line 2-2 in FIG. 1, the sleeve 10 has aninside surface 16 and outside surface 18. Sleeve 10 is of a hollow,tubular, very roughly rectangular shape that is open at its first end 12to define a waist opening, and is also open at its second end 14 todefine a hip opening. The sleeve 10 is composed of elastic material andhas an elasticity and a width that adheres to a wearer's natural bodyshape without constraint.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 3, which is a cut-away along line 3-3 in FIG. 1,the first end 12 and second end 14 of the sleeve 10 feature an area ofelastic material that folds over attaching to the inside surface 16. Asdepicted in FIG. 4, a cut-away along line 4-4 in FIG. 3, the first end12 folds over to create the waist fold 22, and the second end 14 foldsover to create the hip fold 24. The waist fold 22 and hip fold 24 createa two-ply elastic fold that provides additional strength to holdclothing in place on the wearer's body and direct additional supporttoward the midsection of the wearer.

[0031] The fabric of the sleeve 10 can be completely manufactured bymachine (such as a Santoni knitting machine) without any manualstitching or sewing of multiple fabric pieces, resulting in the seamlesstubular shape and overall attractive appearance of the preferredembodiment of the invention. However, any other suitable material thatprovides sufficient comfort, expandability, resiliency, uniform supportand shape retention when stretched or expanded can be employed as thefabric of the invention, and such material may be manufactured via meansother than by seamless knitting machine, resulting in an embodiment ofthe invention that is not seamless. The fabric composition must have thedesired elastic characteristics so that the invention is effective forholding in place upon the body of the wearer clothing that is otherwiseunable to be fastened or closed, and for shaping and firming thewaistline and mid-section of the wearer. Furthermore, the waist fold 22and hip fold 24 can be attached to the inside sleeve of the sleeve 10 byeither stitching or by being integrally woven along with the remainderof the sleeve 10.

[0032] The foregoing characteristics permit the invention to be expandedabout and cover the specific area of clothing that is otherwise unableto be fastened or closed and the corresponding specific body portionintended by the wearer, such as the belly area, providing uniform,gentle support and shape thereto. The invention can be constructed inany suitable size and configuration, however, the preferred embodimenthas, in an unstretched condition and laying flat, a length of nineinches (9″) to fifteen inches (15″) and, in an unstretched condition andlaying flat, a width of four inches (4″) to ten inches (10″). Owing tothe superior cost, ease of manufacture, wearing comfort, expandability,resiliency, support and attractiveness of the fabric composition of thepreferred embodiment of the invention, the preferred embodiment isconstructed in a “one size” manner. However, the invention can bemanufactured in various shapes and sizes to accommodate differentmaterials, different body portions and different size requirements andconditions of the persons intending to wear the invention.Alternatively, the sizing method can simply involve the use ofpredetermined small, medium, large, extra large sizes and/or othersizes, based upon predetermined criteria, and the shape of the inventioncan be varied from the tubular, very roughly rectangular shape of thepreferred embodiment of the invention.

[0033] The sleeve 10 is made of fabric, preferably a soft, woven,elastic, and resilient fabric. The specific fabric that is employed canbe selected based on a variety of factors, including, withoutlimitation, cost, ease of manufacture, wearing comfort, expandability,resiliency, support and attractiveness. The sleeve 10 preferably is afabric comprised of 95% material commonly known as “microfiber nylon”and 5% material commonly known as “spandex”, and is a seamless materialthat is woven into a seamless embodiment of the invention, with theability to expand to fit the wearer's body as it changes during thecourse of pregnancy or the overweight wearer or other wearer whose bodyproportions have changed.

[0034]FIG. 6 illustrates how the sleeve 10 is to be worn. Initially, asshown in FIG. 5, a person as he or she gains weight or her body expands,such as during pregnancy, the clothing may be too tight for her to wearunless she leaves the clothing unfastened, perhaps with the zipperlowered or unbuttoned. FIG. 5 depicts such unfastened clothing 30.

[0035] To rectify this situation, as shown in FIG. 6, the wearer easilyapplies the sleeve 10 to her body by either stepping into the sleeve 10,by sliding the sleeve 10 up to the desired location on her body, or bysliding the sleeve 10 on from overhead down to the desired location onher body. As shown in FIG. 6, the sleeve 10 is worn around thecircumference of her body from the hip area through the waist andmidsection areas, over the wearer's unfastened clothing 30, or otherrelevant article of clothing that is unable to be fastened or closed orwherever it is necessary to secure the wearer's clothing on to the body.The invention can also be worn wherever the wearer desires additionalsupport or coverage.

[0036]FIG. 6 shows how the sleeve 10 of the invention can be worn oversuch unfastened clothing 30, thus keeping such unfastened clothing 30 onthe body of the wearer and hiding both the unfastened clothing 30 andthe wearer's exposed body. The waist fold 22 and hip fold 24 coupledwith the elastic mid-portion of the sleeve 10 exert a gentle compressionforce against the unfastened clothing 30. The same gentle compressionforce provides support for the belly of a pregnant wearer and iseffective in shaping the midsection of the wearer, providing a moreattractive appearance.

[0037] Another embodiment is a movable sleeve 40 attached to a piece ofclothing 32. FIG. 7 illustrates a movable sleeve 40 visible through acut-a-way of the clothing 32.

[0038] The movable sleeve 40 could be incorporated in and made part ofclothing 32, including, without limitation, skirts, pants, shorts, anddresses, as they are manufactured.

[0039] In addition, the movable sleeve 40 could be attached to suchclothing 32 after manufacture, either by the manufacturer or wearer.Additionally, the movable sleeve 40 may be manufactured like the sleeve10, as described above.

[0040]FIG. 8 shows how, initially, the sleeve 40 could be built intoclothing 32 without impacting normal use. The sleeve 40 would be foldedover inside the clothing 32 when not deployed by the wearer, as shown inFIG. 8. Later, as the wearer finds necessary for fastening undersizeclothing or providing additional coverage or support, the wearer wouldinstantly deploy the movable sleeve 40 by simply folding it out and overthe outside surface 36 of the clothing 32 to achieve its function, asshown in FIG. 9. This implementation would offer the wearer theadditional convenience of not having to carry and wear a separategarment. In addition, building the invention into regular clothes wouldprovide for matched coloring between the invention and the clothing,providing for a more attractive appearance.

[0041]FIG. 8 shows an inside out view of clothing 32, exposing theinside surface 34 of the clothing 32, where the movable sleeve 40 isattached to inside surface 34. The movable sleeve 40, as shown in FIG.8, has an affixed end 42 and a movable end 44. The affixed end 42 of thesleeve 40 can be attached to the inside surface 34 of the clothing 32 bystitching, by hook and loop fasteners, or by being woven integrally withthe article of clothing itself.

[0042]FIG. 9 illustrates the outside surface 36 of the clothing 32,where the movable sleeve 40 is folded over and around the clothing 32 toprovide extra covering of the clothing 32 or support of the person'sbody. FIG. 10, a cut-away along line 10-10 in FIG. 9, illustrates themovable sleeve 40, folded around the clothing 32. Further, the affixedend 42 is shown to be attached to the inside surface 34 of the clothing32, and the movable end 44 of the sleeve 40 is folded around theclothing 32 and overlays the outside surface 36 of the clothing 32.

[0043] Hence, while the invention has been described in connection witha preferred embodiment and an alternate embodiment, it will beunderstood that it is not intended that the invention be limited to thatembodiment and method. On the contrary, it is intended to cover allalternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included withinthe spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed.

[0044] As to the manner of usage and operation of the instant invention,same should be apparent from the above disclosure, and accordingly nofurther discussion relevant to the manner of usage and operation of theinstant invention shall be provided.

[0045] With respect to the above description then, it is to be realizedthat the optimum proportions for the elements of the invention, andvariations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner ofoperation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious toone skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships described inthe specification are intended to be encompassed by the presentinvention.

[0046] Therefore, the foregoing is considered illustrative of only theprinciples of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the invention to the exact method, construction andoperation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitablemodifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within thescope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A wearable device about an individual's waistlineand over unfastened clothing, so that the device offers coverage overthe unfastened clothing and offers support to the clothing and to theindividual's waistline, the device comprising: (a) a sleeve; and (b) ameans for covering an unfastened article of clothing; whereby the sleevecan be worn over unfastened clothing so that the sleeve offers coverageover the unfastened clothing and further the sleeve offers frictionalsupport to the clothing and the waistline of an individual.
 2. Awearable device about an individual's waistline and over unfastenedclothing, so that the device offers coverage over the unfastenedclothing and offers support to the clothing and to the individual'swaistline, the device comprising: (a) a sleeve having an inside surfaceand an outside surface; the sleeve further having a first end and asecond end; (b) the inside surface of the first end folding onto itselfforming a waist fold; and (c) the inside surface of the second endfolding onto itself forming a hip fold; whereby the first end defining awaist opening and the second end forming a hip opening such that thesleeve can be worn over unfastened clothing so that the sleeve offerscoverage over the unfastened clothing and further the sleeve offersfrictional support to the clothing and the waistline of an individual.3. The device of claim 2 further comprising elastic fabric.
 4. Awearable device about an individual's waistline attached to clothingsuch that the device can be unfolded around the clothing so that thedevice offers coverage over unfastened clothing and offers support tothe clothing and to the individual's waistline, the device comprising:(a) a sleeve; the sleeve further having an affixed end and a movableend; (b) an article of clothing; and (c) the affixed end of the sleeveattaching to the clothing; whereby the movable end of the sleeve can befolded around the clothing such that the clothing is covered by themovable end of the sleeve so to allow the clothing to be unfastened andwhereby the sleeve offers coverage over the unfastened clothing andfurther offers frictional support to the clothing and the waistline ofan individual.
 5. The device of claim 4 further comprising elasticfabric.
 6. The device of claim 4 where the affixed end attaches to theclothing by stitching.
 7. The device of claim 4 where the affixed endattaches to the clothing by hook and loop fasteners.
 8. A wearabledevice about an individual's waistline attached to clothing such thatthe device can be unfolded around the clothing so that the device offerscoverage over unfastened clothing and offers support to the clothing andto the individual's waistline, the device comprising: (a) a sleevehaving an inside surface and an outside surface; the sleeve furtherhaving an affixed end and a movable end; (b) an article of clothinghaving an inside surface and an outside surface; and (c) the insidesurface of the affixed end of the sleeve being attached to the insidesurface of the clothing; whereby the movable end of the sleeve can befolded around the clothing such that the outside surface of the clothingis covered by the movable end of the sleeve so to allow the clothing tobe unfastened and the sleeve offers coverage over the unfastenedclothing and further the sleeve offers frictional support to theclothing and the waistline of an individual.
 9. The device of claim 8further comprising elastic fabric.
 10. The device of claim 8 where theinside surface of the affixed end attached to the inside surface of theclothing by stitching.
 11. The device of claim 8 where the insidesurface of the affixed end attached to the inside surface of theclothing by hook and loop fasteners.